


Coax

by Peppermint_Patty



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 03:25:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18541312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peppermint_Patty/pseuds/Peppermint_Patty
Summary: Ozpin is frustrated, hungry, thirsty, and sleep deprived. Luckily Qrow is there to help





	Coax

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this instead of sleeping  
> May change the title later  
> IDK how to end it  
> I tried  
> Enjoy!

Ozpin grumbled as he scratched his hair, wracking his brain for more ideas, more plans. He growled at nothing came to mind, he aggressively tugged at the ends of his hair, tangling it even more. He crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it into an already full trash bag. He grabbed another and began writing only for him to repeat the process. 

_ Please, go to bed. _

Oscar whispered in his head.

“No! Not yet! I have to have a plan! I..I  _ have _ _ to. _ ” Ozpin slumped against the wooden desk, he was desperate and tired. Their stomach growled. And hungry it seems. 

Ever since Jinn and the revelations, Ozpin was desperate to prove himself trustworthy, a leader,  _ someone,  _ to Qrow and the others. He worked himself thin as night and in the evenings he'd trained until he collapsed. He gave Oscar how recipe for another casserole in hopes that they'll lay off the boy. He's trying, he beats their brain for ideas, he can feel himself losing his mind.

The door behind him creaked open.

“You're still up?” A voice grumbled tiredly.

“I'm busy,” Ozpin snapped. “I don't have time to sleep.”

“Ozpin?” 

“Leave me be.”

Qrow sighed, he knew this tone. He heard it a few times, Ozpin was on edge, bending himself backwards. 

Qrow left, leaving Ozpin and Oscar all alone. Even though he told the other man to leave, it still hurt that he left without doing anything. He felt tears swell up in his eyes. He hurriedly wiped the tears, cursing himself for crying over something so small. Fresh tears replaced the old tears, no matter how much he wiped them, they just came back. He let out a small sob, he threw his arms around his head as he laid his forehead on the oak wood desk and cried. He was unaware of the man who was standing in the hallway, listening to the old soul weeping his little heart out in the dead of night.

Ozpin snapped his head up when there was a soft clatter of a plate and a cup in the desk. He looked on, confusion clear in his blood shot eyes.

“You need to eat.”

Ozpin wiped his face. “I don't need your pity..”

“You don't, but I know the both of you need to eat and sleep.”

Ozpin stayed silent for a moment.

“...I'm not hungry…”

As if to call out on his lie, his stomach growled.

Ozpin, flustered,  wrapped his arms around his stomach.

“Eat, Oz.” Qrow slid the plate towards Ozpin, noticing how the other eyed the sandwich. It hurt to see Ozpin hesitate, as though he's unsure he can really have the sandwich. It hurt to see the flash of surprise in his eyes, perplexed at the small gesture. He watched as Ozpin picked up the sandwich and took a small bite. Then he gobbled the whole thing down in a few seconds, he turned his attention to the cup of water, the bird watched as the other greedily drank the water.

Ozpin seemed to toss his table manners out the window, he licked the Mayo off his fingers. Qrow would have been disgusted if it was anyone else, but when it was Ozpin, all he could think was pity for Ozpin.

“When was the last time you ate?”

Ozpin shuffled in his seat. “..about 2 or 3 days ago..”

Qrow slammed his hands down on the desk. “What? Oz you can't be starving yourself like that! This isn't just your body! Whatever you do to yourself, affects Oscar too!”

“You don't think I know that?!” Ozpin leaned back in his creaky wooden chair. “I haven't had my own body in centuries..”

The two men were quiet for a while.

Qrow looked around the room, seeing the crumpled papers, he looked at the neatly made bed. “What about sleep?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“When was the last time you slept?”

Ozpin blinked. “I'm not sure..”

It was Qrow’s turn to blink. “You’re not sure?” he was dumbfounded. How can a man like Ozpin, who cares so much about everything, care so little about himself? Ozpin said nothing, he just stared blankly at the mess on his desk. Qrow took this time to really look at him. He was slouching-- something he continuously got after Qrow for.- Ozpin, well really Oscar, had bags under his eyes, their brown hair disheveled, his clothing was wrinkled- Ozpin was sure to never have a single wrinkle in his outfits. This isn’t the Ozpin he knew- this was someone else entirely. Qrow wanted to help this stranger. To give him rest. 

Qrow sighs once more, he needs to get to Ozpin rest. If Ozpin rests, then so will Oscar. Qrow scoots closer to Ozpin, he places his hands on the boy’s shoulder. 

“There’s a nice, neatly made, comfortable bed, right over there. The beds in this inn can put an insomniac straight to bed, trust me, I would know.” he kept his voice low and smooth, kept it quiet so he can get Ozpin to listen. 

The old soul shakes their head. “No. Don’t say it like that. I have to defeat Salem. To do that, I need a plan. I don’t have one- so I need to make one. Immediately.” Ah, resistance. Qrow should have known Ozpin wasn’t going to make this easy for him. 

“We need to come up with a plan.  _ Together  _ so  _ we  _ can beat Salem. And to do all that,” Qrow paused, watching Ozpin closely, “You need to rest.” he said after a beat. He moved one hand from the boy’s shoulder to his hair, lightly scratching his scalp. 

Qrow continued to say soft nothings to them, such as how soft the bed looks and how comforting it is, soft promises that when morning comes he’ll make Ozpin a nice big cup of hot cocoa. Ozpin swayed in his chair. His eyes drooped and his head bowed. Ever so often, Ozpin would jolt up for a second then he’d be lulled back into the dark by Qrow’s soft mummers and his light scratching. After a while Ozpin slumps against Qrow’s chest, softly snoring away, Qrow gently scoops them into his arms and takes them to the bed. He pulls back the covers and lays the two souls on the bed. Before he leaves, he takes off Oscar’s boots and sheds his green coat off with slight difficulty, which causes one of the two souls to grumble something. They turn on their side, facing Qrow. He crouched down so he can be at eye level with them, Qrow gently smoothed out Oscar’s soft brown hair and pulled the covers over them. Once he was sure they were asleep, he quietly left the room, turning off the dim lamp, and closed the door. 

He crawled in his own bed, staring at the ceiling. He realizes that was the first time he spoke to Ozpin since Jinn. 

_ “Is this what is tearing him up?”  _ he thinks. “ _ Stressing himself to starvation and dehydration for a plan we bashed on him for not having”  _ Qrow placed his hands on his face and groans.They were horrible to Ozpin that day. 

_ “I swear, Oz, I’ll make it up to you.”  _ Qrow promises as he drifts off into sleep.


End file.
